Spicy Spiced Pecans with Grand Marnier

A refined take on the street vendor classic: Spicy (but not too spicy) via the cayenne pepper, with great molasses notes from the dark brown sugar, and a kicked up finish thanks to the Grand Marnier. This treat is delicious and easy—a perfect snack, but also excellent in salads or garnishing Autumnal soups.

I like this recipe as it does not involve deep frying or baking the pecans. Instead, my approach uses a single saute pan for all of the work.

Spicy Spiced Pecans with Grand Marnier

Makes a little over a pound.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, preferably Ceylon, but Vietnamese is fine
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 pound raw pecans, halved
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup Grand Marnier

Line two half sheet pans (or one full sheet pan) with aluminum foil. Set aside.

Spices, Mise en Place

Mix the cayenne pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, and sea salt in a small bowl and reserve.

Toasting the Pecans

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the pecans—don't haphazardly dump your whole container of pecans in the pan, as the little bits and crumbs at the bottom will burn. Toast, stirring and shaking frequently, until they are just brown, about four minutes.

Add the butter and stir constantly, coating the pecans, until it melts.

Add the combined spices and stir until they fully coat the pecans.

Cooking the sugar and Grand Marnier

Add the light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, and Grand Marnier. Cook, stirring frequently, until the ingredients thicken and fully coat the nuts, about two minutes. Once fully thickened, cook an additional 60 seconds, stirring constantly.

Laying the pecans out on sheetpans

Transfer the pecans, spread out as much as possible, to the sheetpans. Using a fork, separate the nuts, as any touching pecans will solidify into a single chunk. Let cool until the sugar hardens, about ten minutes.

If not using immediately, once completely cool, transfer to an airtight container.